Move to appoint second ANC deputy president hits stumbling block

30/06/2017. ANC President Jacob Zuma and his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa share a light moment before the start of the ANC Policy conference taking place at Nasrec.Picture: Masi Losi/Sunday Times

Moves to have two deputy presidents in the ANC and to expand the party’s top leadership structure to nine were dealt a blow at the policy conference yesterday.

TimesLIVE has learnt from reliable sources that the issue was debated by conference delegates in closed commissions on organisational renewal‚ with the majority agreeing that the ANC should only add a second deputy secretary-general in their top leadership structure‚ expanding it from six to seven.

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal‚ which has the largest delegation at the conference‚ was adamant that the ANC did not need two deputy presidents.

Insiders said the call for a second deputy president of the ANC did not gain any traction.

“Most commissions said it has to be seven. This thing of nine leaders will not work and people are agreeing‚” a source said.

ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Sihle Zikalala told TimesLIVE their delegation would only accept two deputy secretary-generals‚ with the added role focused primarily on monitoring and evaluation.

“We are not going to allow this thing of two deputy presidents. It does not work it does not make any sense‚” he said. However‚ delegates from the North West said they still hoped to persuade conference to adopt the proposal.

The North West wants one deputy president to be responsible for international relations while the other would deal with monitoring and evaluation.

ANC North West chairperson Supra Mahumapelo said they had hoped to win over delegates to their proposal but in the end a resolution would have to be made based on consensus.